How do you shape a batard successfully?
The batard shape takes a few tries, so you are not alone there. Two things help most: make sure the dough is not overfermented, because a dough that tears easily and will not hold its form has usually fermented too long, and let the preshaped dough rest 10 to 15 minutes before final shaping so it relaxes. If it keeps fighting you, make a larger batch, divide it, and practice on small batard rolls where mistakes cost less.
Answered by Hendrik, The Bread Code
From the book
Mastering the challenging shaping technique will likely take you multiple attempts. You only have a single attempt per dough, though. If you make a mistake, the final bread is likely not going to turn out as good as it could. If this technique causes you a headache, I recommend making a larger batch of dough and dividing and preshaping it into smaller portions. Instead of making a large batard, practice making miniature batard bread rolls.
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